Lisa Murkowski on Crime

Independent Sr Senator (AK)

Limit liability by capping non-economic damages

Q: Do you believe that limiting the liability of corporations or physicians for mistakes is necessary to curb rising medical costs?

KNOWLES: Just like I did as governor, I’ll bring all parties together to figure out a way to reform the system
while still protecting everyone’s right to their day in court. Take the most famous case in Alaska history, the Exxon Valdez damages. The 32,000 injured Alaska private property owners, fishermen and Native villagers deserve their day in court.

MURKOWSKI: Limiting liability by capping non-economic damages is necessary to reduce medical costs. In Alaska, two of our four liability insurers left the state in the past year because of large liability damage awards.
The result is higher insurance rates for doctors and higher rates for patients. If the trend continues, the ability for patients to access a doctor will decrease.

Funding to prosecute rape and sexual offenders

Responding to news reports that many Anchorage sexual assaults and rapist were not being prosecuted because of lack of funds Murkowski won $2 million in federal funds to assist the Anchorage Police Department and prosecutors in these efforts.

$5M to fight domestic violence

Responding to the needs of battered women and children across Alaska , Murkowski secured $5 million for improvements in domestic violence shelters so that police have more tools to handle domestic situations.

Supported Protect Act with mandatory sentences

Murkowski supported the federal Protect Act, tightening penalties for sexual offenders and implementing mandatory life sentences for twice-convicted sexual offenders, denying pretrial release for alleged child rapists or child abductors and extending the
statute of limitations for child abductions and sex crimes to the life of the alleged victim. The law also expands the ability of prosecutors and police to obtain wiretaps for monitoring those suspected of sex crimes.

Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program.

Amendment would increase funding for the COPS Program to $1.15 billion for FY 2008 to provide state and local law enforcement with critical resources. The funding is offset by an unallocated reduction to non-defense discretionary spending.

Proponents recommend voting YES because:

This amendment reinstates the COPS Program. I remind everyone, when the COPS Program was functioning, violent crime in America reduced 8.5% a year for 7 years in a row. Throughout the 1990s, we funded the COPS Program at roughly $1.2 billion, and it drove down crime. Now crime is rising again. The COPS Program in the crime bill worked, and the Government Accounting Office found a statistical link between the COPS grants and a reduction in crime.
The Brookings Institution reported the COPS Program is one of the most cost-effective programs we have ever had in this country. Local officials urgently need this support.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

The COPS Program has some history. It was started by President Clinton. He asked for 100,000 police officers. He said that when we got to 100,000, the program would stop. We got to 110,000 police officers and the program continues on and on and on.

This program should have ended 5 years ago or 6 years ago, but it continues. It is similar to so many Federal programs that get constituencies that go on well past what their original purpose was. It may be well intentioned, but we cannot afford it and we shouldn't continue it. It was never thought it would be continued this long.

Establish a domestic violence volunteer attorney network.

National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act - Authorizes grants to the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence to work in collaboration with the American Bar Association Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and other organizations to create, recruit lawyers for, and provide training, mentoring, and technical assistance for a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network.

Requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to designate five states in which to implement the pilot program of a National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Referral Project and distribute funds under this Act.

Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report to Congress on the scope and quality of legal representation and advocacy for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, including the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program.

Murkowski co-sponsored increasing funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program

COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT or COPS program). Revises grant purposes to provide for:

the hiring or training of law enforcement officers for intelligence, antiterror, and homeland security duties;

the hiring of school resource officers;

school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems facing elementary and secondary schools;

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Capital punishment for certain crimes, such as first degree murder & terrorism"

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Hate Crimes legislation that designates crimes as more severe due to the perpetrator's thoughts and motivations"